How do bacterial endospores affect the food industry?
Spore formers cause two kinds of problems in the food industry. Secondly, there is the reduction of shelf life and food spoilage. Microbial spoilage of food is usually indicated by changes in texture or the development of off-flavours.
What are bacterial spores in food?
Introduction. Spore-forming bacteria are considered a major threat in heat-treated food plants. Spores show typical resistance to both chemicals such as disinfectants and physical treatments (thermal or non-thermal) used in the food processing industry [1].
Why are the spore producing bacteria a problem in the food industry?
Spore-forming bacteria are special problems for the food industry. It is not always possible to apply enough heat during food processing to kill spores, thus we have to take advantage of knowledge of the spore-formers to control them.
What are some examples of spore-forming bacteria?
Examples of bacterial species that can form endospores include Bacillus cereus, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Clostridium botulinum, and Clostridium tetani.
What do spores do to food?
The contamination of food with spores is favored by their survival to food processing and long-term persistence in food. Foodborne poisonings and food spoilage may be caused by germination of spores and outgrowth to vegetative bacterial cells during food processing and storage.
Why are Bacillus and Clostridium spores important in the food industry?
Clostridium and Bacillus are two spore-forming genera1, which also contain several foodborne pathogens that can cause foodborne illness in humans. Since these pathogens can form spores, they are commonly not inactivated with usual food treatment methods.
What is the significance of finding Bacillus spores in food?
Bacillus species are often present in raw milk and play an important role in the spoilage of milk and milk-based products, and the use of ultra-high-temperature (UHT) processing can inactivate intact spores so as to achieve a long shelf life at room temperature (Atrih and Foster, 2002; Crielly et al., 1994; Gould, 2006 …
What are bacteria spore?
A spore is a cell that certain fungi, plants (moss, ferns), and bacteria produce. Spores are involved in reproduction. Certain bacteria make spores as a way to defend themselves. These spores create the bacteria that cause a rare condition called gas gangrene and a type of colitis that is linked to use of antibiotics.
How do you tell if a bacteria is spore forming?
The use of microscopy to visualize is normally considered the best method to assess sporulation. Phase contrast can be used to observe endospores, as can the Moeller stain or malachite green staining methods which actually stain the endospore and thus are clear confirmation that sporulation occurred.
What are spores in bacteria?
A spore is a cell that certain fungi, plants (moss, ferns), and bacteria produce. Spores are involved in reproduction. The bacteria Clostridia form spores. These spores create the bacteria that cause a rare condition called gas gangrene and a type of colitis that is linked to use of antibiotics.
Why are bacterial spores a threat to food safety?
Bacterial spores are a threat to food safety due to their strong resistance to chemical and physical hurdles (Esty and Meyer, 1922; Heinz and Knorr, 1996 ). Indeed, the presence of spores in a food matrix may lead to food re-contamination post-pasteurization, following germination and colonization.
What are spore-forming bacteria?
Spore-forming bacteria are special problems for the food industry. It is not always possible to apply enough heat during food processing to kill spores, thus we have to take advantage of knowledge of the spore-formers to control them.
What are the advantages of bacterial spores over lactic acid bacteria?
Compared to the widely used lactic acid bacteria, bacterial spores offer the advantage of a higher survival rate during the acidic stomach passage and better stability during the processing and storage of the food product. In many food products, germination of the spores does not occur.
Is it possible to kill spores during food processing?
It is not always possible to apply enough heat during food processing to kill spores, thus we have to take advantage of knowledge of the spore-formers to control them.